I have severe inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis and keep getting urinary tract infections - is there a link between this and arthritis? Ended up in hospital yesterday - severe temp, itching and burning all over and been throwing up for two days straight now! Everything they gave me ie steriods and sickness meds and antiobiotics I have thrown up - so back to doc today. Also have just got over a five week run of thrush and the last pap smear came back with inflammation again (like the last 6!!!).

Would just like to hear back to see if any of the girls here have had the same problems?

hey there blondie.. yes I get UTIs all the time, it seems.. I am on a daily low-dose antibiotic because of it.. I was prone to them before, but since I started Enbel, it got worse.. What meds are you on?Moderator of Arthritis Forum

I don't get them but do get sinus infections constantly which my PCP says is caused in part by the arthritis, and my rhuemy says the sinus infections make the arthritis worse. I would think though this is one of those individual differences things. RA causes inflamation in the weirdest places-inflamation contributes to infections. So either way YUCK.Sj

Since I posted last have spent the last two nights in hospital - with urinary tract infection and the worst gastro I have ever had in my life!

Ducky - suppose to be starting Enbrel very soon - dont know if I want to now or not. Am on antidepressants, mobic, morphine sulphate, valium - was on mtx but had to come off that at end of april due to side effects.

What a great I have had - and just started a new part time job 6 weeks ago but they know all about the arthritis which is great.

I have blood in my urine from time to time. The doctor thinks it could be cancer or kidney stones. (big differencd there) She scheduled me for aCystoscopy. I objected to this test because I've heard it is painful. I take Methadone for arthritis of the spine at every level ... and more. She said, "Ok, we'll schedule you for an Ultrasound." I wonder if an Ultrasound will find what's wrong. Anybody ever have kidney stones?Pamela Neckpain

Oh, I'm not making any sense. I've heard that no Opiod will help with pain if you take Methadone. My pain doctor said that sometimes doctors' will get a patient all sedated for surgery and then they sit up and and say.. "What's going on here?" The doctors' are shocked because the patient should be asleep.Anybody take MethadonePamela Neckpain

I was like that when I took oxycontin (an opiate) - in most people it sedates them but kept me wide awake all day and all night. Horrible stuff. Was on methadone many years ago after my car accident - didnt have any problems with that and didnt get addicted thank goodness.

I have had kidney stones-the only worst pain I can remember is the vioxx headache. It was absolutely horrible. The thing is though that as long as they stay in the kidney you don't even know they are there usually. Its once they start moving that they hurt so badly.

i an 16 weeks preganant and have just been to the midwife. i have had signs of a urinary tract infection for a week or so and the midwife has sent of a urine sample to see if it is an infection or not. i have to wait 5 days for the results and am worried bcause i have read if untreated can cause kidney problems. i am not really worried and wandering if anyone knows if damage would really occur this quickly and if there is any advice on how to help it until then.

I think it was Ducky who mentioned increased UTI's with the Enbrel? I haven't had UTI's exactly, but some kind of increased urinary discomfort? It is really uncomfortable! It feels as if I'm getting a UTI, and when I take something like the AZO, it feels better, so it is really strange, and seems to be worse at bedtime. I wonder if it is the RA, or the Enbrel. I drink more than the 9 glasses of water, maybe cranberry juice? Anyone else have this too?

My daughter had a bout with kidney stones when she was 9 and they were horrid, nothing helped with her pain. I can't even imagine having one!!

I have chronic UTI's which are considerd complicated due to my many allergies of antibiotics. After last one was cleared I began enbrel ( just started). From what I understand RA makes all illnesses feel worse and all illnesses make RA worse. Catch-22. I have began drinking cran/grape juices and I take a cranberry capsule to, hopefully, keep UTI's away. I tried low maintiance antibiotic therapy and it didn't work. At the time I had to stop RA meds ( methotraxate) and I suffered alot. momto3, it sounds like you may have a UTI so it would be good to have it checked. Also,I will have to stop Enbrel if I have ANY infection till it is cleared. Good luck.

Ducky, did you have chronic UTI's before Enbrel? How long have you been on Enbrel? How long before results? How bad is RA when you have to discontinue Enbrel for awhile? I am curious since it seems we may have some things in common.

Every time I use the restroom, I worry. I have had two bouts with blood in my urine and indescribly horrid pain. (The kind of pain that you would not consider going toER about. Fortunately, it happened during doctor office hours. Antibiotics cleared it up both times. The problems were a year apart.I have terrible arthritis.I got the results of a pap back yesterday. I don't have Cancer! Anyway, I'm scheduledfor a Cystoscopy. My best guess is that I have Kidney Stones. If not that, a prolapsed Bladder. (or whatever is "down there" I drink the straight Cranberry juice and don't think it really helps anything and the stuff costs about $8.00 a quart. I think the Cranberry juice with sugar in it couldpossibly make the problem worse.Be Well,Pamela Neckpain

The Antibiotic, Cipro has helped me in the past but now I hear that Cipro is not a good medicine and is on the Bad Med list (or something) Maybe someone knows.

The cost of juice is why I use a cranberry pill, also. Plus, it is calorie free. I read an article that concord grape juice is good for the bladder. So, I bought 100% cran/grape juice with no added sugar...of course it has natural sugar. I drink 8 oz a day. I have 5-6 UTI's a year. And cannot take most antibiotics. Tha is why I am "complicated". I am praying I can keep UTI's away so as to give Enbrel a chance to work.

Hey bits.. I got UTIs occassionaly before the Enbrel.. but once I started it, I would get UTIs a couple times a month.. I would get one, start antibiotics, finish them, and within a day or two, get another one.. I'm on the low dose antibiotic now, that when I feel one coming on, I just pop a pill, and I'm good.. I have been off the Enbrel, the longest 1 month, and it was horrible for me.. I am now on MTX and Enbrel, and seem to be doing well.. I don't get UTIs as much anymore either.. like I said, if I feel one coming on, I take a pill.. but I haven't had to take a pill in almost 3 months.. which is really good for me.. good luck to you!Moderator of Arthritis Forum

I recently went in for a UTI and had the white blood cells in my urine and I'm reading your post and wondering what antibiotic you take on a consistant basis that doesn't interact with the MTX???? I took a round of Celphalexin (7 days) and I still have my UTI, because the doc at urgent care said they have a difficult time finding a pill that will not interact. I have been off my Enbrel now 5 injections because I can't get rid of my UTI and the constant burning/itching. I have never heard of taking a constant antibiotic??

Hey mom.. :) The antibiotic I take is Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid).. 100 mg a day.. They usually prescribe 300mg a day for 5 days (for me at least) when I would get the UTIs.. Now it's just 100mg a day... just enough to fight off the bacteria.. being on antibiotics can cause yeast infections (as we all know), so I make sure I take a probiotic as well.. So far so good! The urologist initially prescribed for me to take the Macrobid daily, however, like I said above, now I just take it when I feel one coming on..

Have you ever been on Macrobid?Psoriatic Arthritis/Spondylitis/Graves</I> Disease/GERD/Scoliosis/Hiatal Hernia/Graves Disease of the Eyes/Chronic UTIs/Migraines/Hypertension

Ok, if you click on the link, it doesn't work (not sure why) but if you cut and paste it,it works fine.. sheesh!Psoriatic Arthritis/Spondylitis/Graves</I> Disease/GERD/Scoliosis/Hiatal Hernia/Graves Disease of the Eyes/Chronic UTIs/Migraines/Hypertension

Hi Ducky, yes I have taken Macrobid a long time ago, just not while on the pesty MTX. I don't have a pcp since he moved, I just go to the same doctors office and see who ever is available at the time since they have all of my records. Maybe I need a urologist? Not really sure, but I will go and read the article because I have to do something, this is getting just ridiculous! Because now my root canal and lovely expensive crown seems to have an infection in it? unbelievable!!! I have never heard of this before, but today is a dental check up so I guess I will have them look at it. I'm not familiar with crowns and this happening. It seems like one infection after another with the Enbrel, its nutty I have been under the impression this entire time that I could only take the Cephelexin, because when my doctor attempted to call in a different antibotic the first time, the pharmacist refused to fill it because of the MTX. So now I have been limited to this one pill, its frustrating! Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

Have you been to drugs.com and used their drug interaction tester? I still use the military pharmacy, and they'll pretty much fill anything.. so I always check with that website to see if there is anything that might have an adverse reaction with any of the meds that I take.. according to it (although it still isn't 100%) it is safe.. I would talk to your doc about it and see if they can do something for you.. this is crazy.. you shouldn't have to be putting up with this.. :( so sorryModerator of Arthritis Forum

I am warning anyone with r.a. not to take methadone for your pain. I have been on methadone for 10 years. A large dose. Down about 80mg from where I was. I take daily liquid once instead of low dose pills. Anyways. I believe that's what caused my r.a. and teeth problems. And when I have a flare up, the methadone makes me deathly deathly ill. Its bad for your bones and on your stomach. Please just take my advice and DONT take methadone for r.a..